With some people it was hard to take the measure of their mettle till you saw them in a very tight squeeze. With Dolphin there wasn’t much mystery. Ex-buzzman, divorced, one son and one daughter. He’d earned his nickname when he burned a hole in his nose snorting too much blow; as if that wasn’t enough, he then got shot in the chest and could now only breathe through one lung. Even so he managed to act like these were still the days when he wore a tin star, carried chrome, slapped people around on the street. Stilclass="underline" the Redeemer wasn’t expecting to hear him say what he said when he went to see Baby Girl.
He got to Las Pericas with the Neeyanderthal, and the Unruly was already waiting outside.
Only one goes in, she said as soon as she saw the Neeyanderthal, and tell this guy to put on a mask or get the fuck out of here.
The Redeemer handed Neeyan a mask, which he used to wipe his mouth, like it was a napkin, and then threw on the ground. The Unruly’s little eyes shone like she was smiling.
Go on in, she said to the Redeemer.
The Las Pericas place was huge and white with a big wooden veranda, as if someone had been unwilling to give up their old house in the tropics, despite now living on a hill a thousand klicks from the sea. This was the first time the Redeemer had ever been inside. As soon as he stepped through the door he was dazzled by a huge room with a dozen high windows. In the center stood a table, and on the table lay Baby Girl.
He didn’t need to get close to know Baby Girl was no longer all there, but still he had to do it, and to look after what was left. He approached reluctantly, his steps slow, as tho in place of bones he had a barbed-wire soul. He saw Baby Girl there, pale, ashen, a trail of blood between her nose and mouth, hands clenched and face exceedingly sad. She was so small and so still, but at the same time seemed like the heart of the house, cold yet somehow keeping it alive. Who knew how many dead bodies he’d seen, but this one reminded him too much of the other one, his one.
That was when Dolphin appeared behind the Redeemer, and said — there in the brightest room in the world, pointing to the loneliest girl in existence — I still got it. They try to fuck me over? I still got it.
This job would be easy if the only ones we had to fight were our friends, the Redeemer used to say, but what he said to himself now was I don’t want to listen to this motherfucker, and I do not even want to think about the eye-for-an-eye bullshit, the tooth-for-a-toothery this is going to unleash. On other occasions he’d convinced himself that even the most twisted men deserve a chance, since people, all people, are like dark stars: what we see is different from the thing itself, which has already disappeared, already changed, even a single second after the light or evil has been discharged. But this…
What did you do to her?
Nothing new, said Dolphin.
Why here? Why you got her here?
Not your concern, asshole, said the Dolphin patting his head, not your concern. You seen her, now get to work.
The Redeemer felt in his gut the desire to wrench off what nose Dolphin had left but the rest of his body couldn’t carry out the order. He turned and walked out of the house. Outside, the Neeyanderthal was talking to the Unruly.
So, what line are you in, sweetness?
The Unruly was on the verge of saying something different but when she saw the Redeemer her look hardened and she said, Revenge.
The Redeemer held her gaze and contained the urge to take her by the shoulders and shake her. He ought to have done it, ought to have beat Dolphin till not his nose but his whole face was destroyed, if he wanted to salvage any vestige of himself. Behind his back he heard Dolphin approach laboriously and say Don’t pay her any mind. This ain’t about getting revenge, just about getting even.
3
What do you mean am I sure? Vicky retorted after the Redeemer asked if she’d go with him. Shit, you’ve already been out on the street with the Neeyanderthal, right? But did you ask him if he was sure he wanted to go? No. Right, asshole? Dumbass can’t shoot for shit, can’t hit himself with his own damn gun, and there you are dragging him all over town, but me, who takes care of every fucking thing under the sun for a living, I’m some little señorita that needs your protection.
He couldn’t help it, it wasn’t an attempt at gallantry, just came with the job: in the Kingdom of the Word all men were Chiefs and all women Lil’ Ladies, as far as he was concerned, and tho he was well aware that Vicky was not only nail-hard by nature but also an adrenaline junkie, he couldn’t help but lil-lady-fy her. On occasion Vicky helped him out with dust-ups, taking things down a notch, smiling, acting wise — which she was, always — and sweet, which she was, sometimes. On occasion, like now, she helped him get a read on a body.
I need you to do it fast, he told Vicky when she climbed into the Bug in her nurse’s uniform. But do it good. I need to know if she was beaten.
The Neeyanderthal started shaking with laughter, stomach only. They both gaped at him.
The fuck did you have for breakfast, man? asked the Redeemer.
It’s just, that’s what I tell the ladies too: Gonna do you fast, but good.
No one else laughed. Seeing Vicky’s look of hatred, the Neeyanderthal tried to put things right: Oh, hey, sorry bout the trucker mouth. It just slipped out.
If only you really were a trucker, Neeyan, Vicky said. But you’re not, you’re just tedious. The most tedious people in the world can’t take anything seriously. Don’t worry tho — and with this Vicky patted the Neeyanderthal’s cheek — don’t worry, I speak Hombre, so I know you’re not actively trying to be a prick, you just have no control over your little bullshit organ.
The Redeemer didn’t know if the Neeyanderthal and Vicky truly hated each other or simply had their own brand of love. He remembered something that had happened just after the brother’s death. They’d been out boozing and he heard the Neeyanderthal recount the accident to a woman, the whole damn thing — stupid pedestrian, flipped truck, death throes — as a line. Neeyan didn’t actually want to open up to the woman, but he recited the drama in an attempt to open up her blouse. The Redeemer had said to Vicky that that was low, even for the Neeyanderthal, but she put on a sad that’s-not-the-whole-story face and said What do you expect, Neeyan cuts a profit whenever he can, and right now all he’s got is his scar. If there was a market for it, he’d cultivate kidney stones and piss them out. Leave him be.
Before returning to Las Pericas they made a stop at Vicky’s ex-boyfriend’s parents’ place. Actually he was an ex-lover, one Vicky loved for real, but his time was up and she hadn’t backed down over the ultimatum. Vicky might be willing to suffer but suffering wasn’t marital status, and his marriage was already on public record.
They’re in a state of total hysteria, she said, packed in like sardines because the alarm went off while he was over there with his wife. Dropped in to pay back some money he owed and now they don’t want to leave… seems someone’s sick, and he convinced them to let me stop in and have a look.
He: the ex-lover. Vicky’s face softened a bit at the mention.
Can I go with you? the Redeemer asked. Might be able to get something from the father — the nouveau always have the lowdown on each other’s riche. Maybe he’s been cooped up so long he’s ready to wag his tongue. Plus he knows me, I’ve worked with guys close to him.
Vicky took out a pair of latex gloves and handed them to the Redeemer.
Don’t touch anyone.
They rang the bell. A clipped argument could be heard coming from within. Go; No, let him go; Fine, I’ll go; No, don’t you go, mother; Oh, let her go; No, I’ll go.
Ha, Vicky snorted. Their servant split so it looks like they’ll have to learn how to turn a doorknob on their own.